


Goodbye, Little Songbird

by emjgrape



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Case Fic, Gavin has a secret, M/M, Police Procedural, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Slow Burn, tina's nosy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-08-26 23:45:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16691230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emjgrape/pseuds/emjgrape
Summary: Detective Gavin Reed spends his insufferably long and draining weeks tracking down the scum of Detroit. When granted a well deserved weekend off, a rare occurrence as of late, he retreats into the solidarity of isolation. No one questions his disappearances, but instead, relish in the detective’s seemingly recharged demeanor when he comes into work the next day. Some of them currently have a bet on what his favorite form of stress release is. When Nines catches word of these bets, his curiosity grows and he's determined to get to the bottom of the mystery that is Gavin Reed.





	Goodbye, Little Songbird

“You didn’t see him at any of the bars you went to?” Tina and Chris stood around a table in the break room. It’s early, the station was mostly empty.  

 

“No, wasn’t at his apartment either.” Chris replies, “Didn’t answer the phone?” 

 

“Like hell, asshole didn’t even open my Snapchat.” Tina scrunches her nose and sips her coffee. 

 

Nines enters the breakroom. He nods at the three and sets to make the Detective's coffee like he does every morning. He starts to grab for a cup when he’s interrupted.

 

“Hey, RK!” Tina calls for him to join them. “Hey, do you happen to know what Reed does on his days off?” She leans in to ask. 

 

Nines tilts his head, surprised by the unexpected question, “I apologize, Officer Chen, but I do not.” Tina huffs, “Detective Reed does not like to be disturbed on his days off.” Nines states from experience and folds his hands behind his back, posture stiff. 

 

“Well you’re his partner, what do you think he does?” Tina prods. 

 

Nines looks to the floor, LED circling yellow. Nines would never admit that he’s thought about what Gavin does in his free time. That he’s thought about asking the detective to spend some time with him. Maybe go see the movie Gavin’s been obsessing over for the past month. “I cannot say for certain. However, given his reckless tendencies and high-stress levels, it is probable that he goes drinking.”

 

Tina made a disgruntled noise, “Yeah that's a no go.” She trails off, drumming her fingers in the table.

 

Nines looks at her, confused. 

 

“Oh, we checked all of his favorite bars,” Tina shamelessly admits “And his favorite liquor store, and the gym he goes to, and his apartment.” She quickly adds, all in one breath. 

 

“Officer Chen, it seems as if you are stalking Detective Reed.” Nines pauses and brings a curled finger to rest on his chin “Why?” 

 

“Uh yeah?” Tina states as if stalking is a practical method for discovering what people do in their free time. “The dudes a ghost. I mean, we’re close but I have no clue what he does on weekends off when we’re not together.” 

 

“We’ve got a bet going on,” Chris pipes up, “I say, he gets high and masturbates.” He shrugs. “S’what I would do if I was always that tightly wound.” 

 

“Nah, he’s got someone on the side. He’s gettin’ dicked down real good.” The two humans erupt into laughter. 

 

Nines’ nose slightly scrunches in disgust at the crude humor. Neither of the officers notices the microexpression. 

 

As if perfectly on cue, the person of interest strides into the precinct. 

 

“Hey Gavi,” Tina calls after him when he passes the break room.

 

He leans a hip on the door frame and gives the three a nod in greeting. Nines notices the shift from his typical stiff and rigid posture to something not quite relaxed but the tension he normally carries on his shoulders has melted away. The man looked well rested, features soft, the worry lines from his forehead erased, the bags under his eyes significantly faded. His hair curlier than Nines had ever seen, slightly greasy as if there were remnants of gel holding it together. 

 

“So,” Tina starts, goofy grin plastered on her face as she notices the change in the Detective’s demeanor, “Did ya’ get some good dick?” Again the two humans erupt in laughter.

 

Gavin scoffs “Fuck off, Chen.” His voice comes out thick and hoarse as if he gargled gravel and whiskey. Obviously in pain, but regardless, spits out the obesity. 

 

The three blink in shock, but he’s at his desk before they can question him further. 

 

“Well,” Tina is the first to break the silence, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

 

\--

  
  


After escaping from the grasp of Tina’s prying questions, Nines makes it to Gavin’s desk, case file and hot drink in hand. “Detective,” Nines places the cup in his’s free hand, the other absentmindedly scrolling through his phone. 

 

Gavin only grunts in response, bringing the cup to his lips. 

 

“Ew,” After taking a sip, he pulls the cup back and glares at it, “The fuck is this?” He takes the lid off to peer inside. 

 

Nines, still standing next to him, arms folded behind his back, “Lemon tea with honey,” Gavin only looks up at him, confused. “For your throat.” Nines continues with a stern voice. 

 

“Whatever, tin can. If you poison me, I’ll haunt your ass.” Gavin mumbles and sets the cup on his desk, he nods to Nines’ hands. “We got something?” 

 

Nines ignores the question, “Aside from your voice, Detective, you seem rather well-rested. Did you have a pleasant weekend?” Nines prods, an attempt at small talk. 

 

“Fuck,” A strained huff, “They got you in on that stupid bet too?” He tries to reach the file but Nines moves before he can grasp it, “Can’t a guy have a private life?” 

 

“I was simply making conversation, Detective.” Nines drops the file onto Gavin’s desk and takes a seat at his own. 

 

Gavin flips through the papers with a huff, glaring at the tea in front of him. 

 

\--

 

On the drive to the crime scene, Gavin, having lost the argument on who was going to drive, sat in the passenger seat nursing his tea. 

 

He had tried to leave it behind, but super nanny wasn’t having any of that and snagged it from Gavin’s desk before they left. After shoving the cup into Gavin’s hand, Nines took the opportunity to slide into the driver's seat. Leaving Gavin standing outside the car in the parking garage, yelling about where Nines could stick his stupid lemon tea. 

 

He was now grateful for the drink after his little tantrum left his throat feeling worse. Although, he’d never admit it.

 

“So,” Nines cut through the silence, “Is that what you did all weekend?” 

 

“What?” Gavin narrowed his eyes in confusion. 

 

“Your little tantrum. Is that how you lost your voice?”

 

Gavin scoffs “No,” He takes another sip and being the little shit he is, accentuates the slurping noise. 

 

“Well, Detective, you-”

 

Nines is interrupted by an obnoxious slurp and cuts his eyes to Gavin. 

 

“Oh, sorry I didn’t hear you. What was that?” Lips curled to an innocent smirk. 

 

Nines reverts his attention to the road, “You-”

 

Sluuurrrrp

 

His grip on the steering wheel tightens, LED cycling yellow. 

 

\--

 

When they arrive at the crime scene, Gavin sports a giant wet spot on the front of his t-shirt. The corner of Nines’ mouth barely curved up in a smirk. 

 

“The fuck happened to you?” Hank asks as Gavin approaches the scene. 

 

“Fuckin’ glorified paperclip,” He bites and nods to Nines as he zips up his jacket “Don’t know how to drive.”

 

“I believe the term, Detective, is ‘brake check’.” His LED circling blue. 

 

Hank chuckles “You sound like shit.” Pointing out the obvious. 

 

“Whatever.” Gavin walks away from the older man and walks through the hologram police tape and into the small house “What are we looking at?” 

 

“Hello, Detective Reed!” Connor chirps from his crouched position on the floor. 

 

Gavin had to carefully maneuver across the blood-soaked floor, trying to step around the puddles and splatters of crimson and neon blue. Despite the absurd amount of blood, this was pretty basic, as far as murders go. Unlike their last case, the scene completely lacked all of the freaky demonic shit that still sometimes haunts Gavin in his sleep. 

 

He crouched over one of the three bodies “Whats the 411, Robocop?” 

 

“Johnathan Gates, human, thirty-seven years of age, works at a local diner,  5”11’, 210 lbs, born in-”

 

“Okay yeah, I get it. Moving on please?” Gavin bites, waving his hand in front of Connor’s face.

 

Connor huffs and points to a woman across the room, “Amy Powell, Android.” He points to another figure next to her, “Max Holland, human, frequent patron of the same diner Gates works at.” Connor finishes and stands. He greets Nines at the door and they do their weird airdrop communication shit. 

 

Gavin grabs a pair of gloves from a forensics bag and crouches back over the body. Nines joins him after Connor leaves. “Looks like a drug deal gone wrong.” Gavin pulls up the sleeve to reveal track marks, “Bet that guy has ‘em too.” 

 

Nines hums, looking over the body, “Connor suggests warm soup and bed rest treat a cold.” His eyes scanning the bloody man’s face. 

 

“Oh my god. Drop it will you?” Gavin stands “I’m not sick. I’ve just lost my voice, alright? Shit happens.” He maneuvers over to the pair of bodies, “Why is everyone suddenly so obsessed with me?” He checks the arms of the second male and finds the same track marks. The android woman’s skin was completely bare, aside from the gaping bullet hole in her head. 

 

“Given the state of this door frame, the unsub used extreme force in entering the premises.” Nines stood inspecting the busted door. “There is generally a peculiar interest in the unknown.”

 

Gavin stands, “What?” 

 

“To answer your question,” Nines tries to pull a fingerprint from the door as he speaks, “You keep your private life secret, thus prompting the curiosity of others.” He turns to face Gavin.

 

“This is bullshit,” Gavin pulls his gloves off and turns to leave but Nines stands steadily in the doorway. “You know its called a ‘private life’ for a reason, you prick,” He shoves a hand at Nines’ chest, which does nothing “Are you going to move?”

 

Nines steps aside silently as Gavin pushes past him grumbling. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ok bear with me here people, i have a solid idea its just gotta be put into words. intended to write all of this before hand so it wouldnt be complete trash but we popped an antidepressant and worked on this instead of my history project, its been real. gavin's a grumpy boy and wants to be left alone. this will get better i swear


End file.
